Leading Off

Navy Sealed

Steve Looney, a Midshipman midfielder, took a hard check from behind by Georgetown middie Todd Cochran during a first-round game of the NCAA lacrosse tournament on Sunday in Washington, D.C. The hometown Hoyas won 9-7 to reach the quarterfinals for the fifth straight year.

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Feat of Clay

After delivering one of his full-tilt serves to France 's Gael Monfils in the semifinals of the ATP Masters Series Rome last Saturday, Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrated a five-set victory over the world's No. 1 player, Roger Federer , on Sunday (inset). Not only did Nadal defeat Federer for the fourth straight time, but he also extended his winning streak on clay to 53 matches, tying the Open-era record held by Guillermo Vilas .

Floyd Patterson 1935-2006

Over two decades as a professional boxer Floyd Patterson won an Olympic gold medal (at Helsinki , in 1952), earned the heavyweight championship (with a KO of Archie Moore , in '56), reclaimed the title from the man who had taken it from him (Ingemar Johansson, in '60) and appeared eight times on the cover of SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (inset). He also suffered more than his fair share of humiliating defeats, including one from Muhammad Ali (far right) in '65. Although he had quick hands and a potent left hook, the undersized Patterson was a reluctant combatant lacking, in the words of manager Cus D'Amato , "the zest for viciousness." After suffering for eight years from Alzheimer's, Patterson died last Thursday of prostate cancer (page 18).